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Gossan and Anthracite


Anthracite and Gossan


Definition

Definition
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.   
Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster   

History
  
  

Origin
Indonesia   
Pennsylvania, U.S.   

Discoverer
Cornish Gossen   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit   
From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Rough, Sandy   
Amorphous, Glassy   

Color
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust   
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Dull and Banded   
Veined or Pebbled   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   
Not Yet Used   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings   
Not Yet Used   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Not Yet Used   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Not Yet Used   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone   
Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry   

Types

Types
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan   
Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite   

Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates   
Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Pictographs
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.   
Anthracite forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. When plant debris dies and falls into the swamp, the standing water of the swamp protects it from decay.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon   
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur   
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
No   
No   

Types of Weathering
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Erosion
Yes   
No   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Not Applicable   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
4-5   
1-1.5   

Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained   
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White to Grey   
Black   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Metallic   
Shiny   

Cleavage
Not Available   
Non-Existent   

Toughness
Not Available   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.0   
1.1-1.4   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
Not Available   
1.25-2.5 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.24 kJ/Kg K   
24
1.32 kJ/Kg K   
4

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea   
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam   

Africa
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa   
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania   

Europe
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom   
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, Mexico, USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador   
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia   
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Gossan and Anthracite Properties

Know all about Gossan and Anthracite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gossan and Anthracite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Gossan is Rough, Sandy whereas that of Anthracite is Amorphous, Glassy. Gossan appears Dull and Banded and Anthracite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Gossan is metallic while that of Anthracite is shiny. Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors whereas Anthracite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Gossan are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, gemstone and that of Anthracite are alumina refineries, electricity generation, liquid fuel, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, paper industry.

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